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William Penn Elementary School

Public Grades K-5

1156^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,511 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Better than 23% of Pennsylvania elementary schools

Summary

William Penn Elementary School is a public elementary school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, serving 239 students in grades K-5 and part of the Bethlehem Area School District.

Despite receiving increased funding over the years, William Penn Elementary School has consistently underperformed compared to the district and state averages on standardized tests. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 32.5% in Math and 29.7% in English Language Arts, lagging behind the district's 30.2% in Math and 36.1% in ELA, as well as the state's 41.7% in Math and 48.5% in ELA. The school has also ranked in the bottom quarter of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

When comparing William Penn Elementary School to nearby schools within the Bethlehem Area School District, it becomes evident that the school is underperforming. For instance, Calypso Elementary School, located just 1 mile away, has significantly higher proficiency rates and a higher statewide ranking. Despite the school's challenges, its per-student spending has increased over the years, suggesting that additional funding and resources have not translated into improved student outcomes.

242

Students ?

11.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,389

Per pupil spending ?

78.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1002 Main St
Bethlehem, PA 18018-6693

(610) 694-0116

District: Bethlehem Area School District

Students who attend William Penn Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Northeast Middle School
High:	Liberty High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

53.7%

White:

28.9%

African American:

14.9%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare William Penn Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 31st percentile in 2015 → 23rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Pennsylvania average (31% vs 45% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (23rd percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 8 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school31%

District avg33%

Pennsylvania avg45%

1,156^th of 1,511

Pennsylvania public elementary schools ?

Bottom 23%▼ down 7 pts since 2015

From bottom 31% (2015) to bottom 23% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Pennsylvania Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

10^th of 16Elementary Schools in the Bethlehem Area School District

426^th of 606Bethlehem Area School District among Pennsylvania districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	23.4	1156 of 1511	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.6	1172 of 1526	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.7	1193 of 1534	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.0	1076 of 1534	29.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	42.3	937 of 1433	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	15.3	1293 of 1544	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.5	1239 of 1530	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	32.9	1139 of 1547	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	23.1	1232 of 1554	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	38.3	1024 of 1474	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2014	32.0	1146 of 1467	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	27.1	1227 of 1519	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	36.9	1227 of 1599	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	22.3	1378 of 1597	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	22.3	1361 of 1579	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	33.1	1249 of 1549	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	27.2	1288 of 1551	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	25.5	1311 of 1555	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	37.8	1180 of 1545	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	33.3	1011 of 1299	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	33.4	978 of 1308	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	52.6	715 of 1302	45.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	26.4	1090 of 1466	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.8	1067 of 1488	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	43.8	218 of 429	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.7	289 of 454	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	40.5	260 of 432	39.8%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	24.5	1087 of 1369	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.4	1148 of 1432	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.1	1118 of 1414	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	23.1	1136 of 1475	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.9	1202 of 1495	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	14.4	1097 of 1201	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	25.7	1012 of 1229	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.6	1062 of 1236	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Hispanic (2025)49th percentile+26 vs school

Female (2025)26th percentile~ school

Male (2025)23rd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)21st percentile-3 vs school

White (2025)9th percentile-15 vs school

By subject vs Pennsylvania (2024-2025) ?

Math32%-9 vs state

English Language Arts30%-19 vs state

3.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, February 17, 2020

William Penn is an amazing school. My children have been there for four years. I appreciate the teachers, staff, educational programs, and the community of families. Close Quote

Schools Near William Penn Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				PSSA Math (2025)							PSSA English Language Arts (2025)							Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
William Penn Elementary School	Public	K-5	1002 Main St	Bethlehem	18018	Northampton County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 694-0116	242	21	11.4	78.9%	70 (28.9%)	36 (14.9%)	130 (53.7%)	4 (1.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	23.4	1156^th of 1511 public elementary schools	23.5%		23.6	1172^nd of 1526 public elementary schools	23.2%	16	36.5	33.3	25.9				32.5	26.8	36.1	25.8				29.7	$20,389	$800	$19,589
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	K-5	404 E North St	Bethlehem	18018	Northampton County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 691-1776	238	21	11.1	86.1%	68 (28.6%)	33 (13.9%)	123 (51.7%)	7 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	5 (2.1%)	22.8	1162^nd of 1511 public elementary schools	23.1%		13.9	1302^nd of 1526 public elementary schools	14.7%	140	32.6	36.0	9.4				26.2	34.8	48.0	15.6				32.1	$19,194	$1,043	$18,152
Calypso Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1021 Calypso Ave	Bethlehem	18018	Lehigh County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 691-0152	222	17	12.9	55.0%	98 (44.1%)	22 (9.9%)	92 (41.4%)	8 (3.6%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	66.1	556^th of 1511 public elementary schools	63.2%		59.1	725^th of 1526 public elementary schools	52.5%	169	68.8	69.5	42.9				58.9	53.1	60.8	48.6				53.4	$22,775	$1,508	$21,267
Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	675 E Broad Street	Bethlehem	18018	Northampton County	Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(610) 419-3120	457	23	19.8	99.3%	7 (1.5%)	13 (2.8%)	436 (95.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19.3	1216^th of 1511 public elementary schools	19.5%		18.7	1237^th of 1526 public elementary schools	18.9%	21	25.6	28.3	25.5	11.7	4.0	10.5	18.2	19.1	37.7	21.5	32.6	26.5	36.8	28.8	$14,453	$2,963	$11,491
James Buchanan Elementary School	Public	K-5	1621 Catasauqua Road	Bethlehem	18017	Lehigh County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 865-1766	253	21	12.1	67.2%	94 (37.2%)	27 (10.7%)	115 (45.5%)	11 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (2.0%)	24.9	1139^th of 1511 public elementary schools	24.6%		33.6	1079^th of 1526 public elementary schools	29.3%	60	26.4	35.3	29.3				30.1	26.3	35.3	34.2				31.9	$18,785	$655	$18,129
Donegan Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1210 East 4th St	Bethlehem	18015	Northampton County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 866-0031	467	44	10.5	92.5%	33 (7.1%)	59 (12.6%)	363 (77.7%)	9 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	11.2	1335^th of 1511 public elementary schools	11.6%		7.2	1412^th of 1526 public elementary schools	7.5%	77	16.9	19.2	20.8				18.8	18.4	21.2	20.8				20.0	$22,844	$1,477	$21,367
Spring Garden Elementary School	Public	K-5	901 North Blvd	Bethlehem	18017	Northampton County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 868-6071	532	41	13.0	47.7%	281 (52.8%)	57 (10.7%)	174 (32.7%)	14 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	64.1	587^th of 1511 public elementary schools	61.2%		50.4	858^th of 1526 public elementary schools	43.8%	271	74.2	63.3	47.6				61.9	55.0	54.4	37.8				49.0	$19,314	$502	$18,812
Lincoln Elementary School	Public	K-5	1260 Gresham St	Bethlehem	18017	Northampton County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 866-8727	355	27	13.1	66.5%	76 (21.4%)	35 (9.9%)	236 (66.5%)	4 (1.1%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	16.8	1250^th of 1511 public elementary schools	17.3%		19.7	1225^th of 1526 public elementary schools	19.7%	25	21.4	22.6	26.3				23.6	19.1	21.0	31.6				24.3	$18,654	$1,285	$17,368
Marvine Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1425 Livingston St	Bethlehem	18017	Northampton County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 865-0012	265	26	10.1	98.9%	9 (3.4%)	29 (10.9%)	221 (83.4%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	16.4	1258^th of 1511 public elementary schools	16.7%		13.3	1312^th of 1526 public elementary schools	14.0%	54	26.8	26.3	20.0				25.0	34.1	23.7	16.0				25.9	$25,271	$2,488	$22,782
Clearview Elementary School	Public	K-5	2121 Abington Rd	Bethlehem	18018	Lehigh County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 868-5994	384	30	12.6	71.6%	133 (34.6%)	46 (12.0%)	194 (50.5%)	7 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	34.2	1036^th of 1511 public elementary schools	31.4%		38.5	1025^th of 1526 public elementary schools	32.8%	11	30.7	52.2	37.5				38.9	32.2	39.1	34.8				35.0	$17,984	$739	$17,245

Frequently Asked Questions about William Penn Elementary School

Is William Penn Elementary School a good school?

William Penn Elementary School ranks in the bottom 23.5% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

What district is William Penn Elementary School in?

Bethlehem Area School District

How many students attend William Penn Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 242 students attended William Penn Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of William Penn Elementary School?

Students at William Penn Elementary School are 54% Hispanic, 29% White, 15% African American, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of William Penn Elementary School attend?

Students who attend William Penn Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Northeast Middle School
High : Liberty High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.